Profile Dental
We Create Beautiful Smiles!
RICHARD D. WINTER, D.D.S.
(916) 691-5330
7805 Laguna Blvd. Suite 310
Elk Grove, CA 95758
Sleep Apnea
Management and treatment of sleep apnea at your Elk Grove, CA dental office
If you are:
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Waking up frequently in the middle of the night gasping for air or choking
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Snoring loudly
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Feeling tired even after what you thought was a good night’s rest
You need to schedule a consultation with your dentist immediately. These are symptoms of a serious condition called sleep apnea.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder that may have serious implications for your health. Sleep apnea causes a person to stop and start breathing many times while asleep. Each time breathing stops, the brain and the body stop getting enough oxygen. This can cause harmful changes in the blood vessels, the brain and the rest of the body’s organs.
There are severe cases where breathing stops as often as 100 times in one sleep period or where each breathing pause lasts for more than two minutes. People with sleep apnea typically experience fatigue and sleepiness during the day, anxiety, lack of concentration, and headaches.
Oral appliances for the treatment of OSA
If left untreated, OSA may lead to other health issues such as high blood pressure, stroke, irregular heartbeat, heart failure, diabetes, and depression.
The good news is that oral appliances and other mouth devices have been proven effective in treating and managing sleep apnea. Studies show that these appliances can reduce the number of sleep apnea episodes by as much as 60% and help patients get enough oxygen during sleep by keeping the air passage open.
At Profile Dental, Dr. Winter can help patients with the diagnosis, management, and treatment of sleep apnea. You may undergo sleep apnea tests or sleep studies to determine the best treatment for your condition. If you have symptoms of OSA, schedule a consultation right away by calling (916) 691-5330. You may also book an appointment with your Elk Grove, CA dentist by filling out our online form.
Snoring is caused by the movement of soft tissue that partially restricts one’s airway. The tonsils can be large or the adenoids may be a problem, excess weight does not help, and the tongue may fall back into the space needed for easy breathing. All of these issues may need to be addressed, but most commonly an oral appliance that repositions the lower jaw more forward, and with it the tongue, will open up the airway enough to make breathing easier and eliminate snoring. More than one marriage has been saved with a very simple snore guard.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a more severe condition that may actually cause breathing to stop for a time. After a while enough stress is caused to awaken the person and get breathing started again. This may occur a few times per hour or many times. A sleep study is required for proper diagnosis and to determine the best treatment options. This is a condition that can have profound consequences. Since quality of sleep is affected one may find it difficult to stay awake during the day. Focus and concentration can be diminished markedly. Deaths have resulted because of severe sleep apnea.
It has been suggested that in mild to moderate cases of sleep apnea – an oral appliance like a snore guard may be the treatment of choice. In more severe cases a CPAP device must be used to force air past the obstructions. Even so, an oral appliance may allow for a decrease in the pressure required to permit adequate breathing.